CONTINUOUS CRYSTALLINE GALLIUM NITRIDE (GaN) PN STRUCTURE WITH NO INTERNAL REGROWTH INTERFACES

ABSTRACT

A precursor cell for a transistor having a foundation structure, a mask structure, and a gallium nitride (GaN) PN structure is provided. The mask structure is provided over the foundation structure to expose a first area of a top surface of the foundation structure. The GaN PN structure resides over the first area and at least a portion of the mask structure and has a continuous crystalline structure with no internal regrowth interfaces. The GaN PN structure comprises a drift region over the first area, a control region laterally adjacent the drift region, and a PN junction formed between the drift region and the control region. Since the drift region and the control region form the PN junction having no internal regrowth interfaces, the GaN PN structure has a continuous crystalline structure with reduced regrowth related defects at the interface of the drift region and the control region.

PRIORITY APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 62/448,477, filed Jan. 20, 2017 and entitled“METHOD TO MANUFACTURE GAN BASED JUNCTION FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR,” thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The technology of the disclosure relates generally to semiconductordevices and more particularly to fabricating gallium nitride (GaN)semiconductor devices.

BACKGROUND

Vertical transistors are a class of semiconductor devices characterizedby a vertical conduction path that extends generally from the top of adevice to the bottom. Compared with more traditional transistors, whichhave horizontal conduction paths, generally vertical channel structuresallow for both a high blocking voltage and a high on-state current,making such devices well suited for high-power applications.

One example of a vertical transistor is the vertical junctionfield-effect transistor (JFET) 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. The verticalJFET 10 is an example of an N-channel depletion mode device, which meansthat the device is in its on-state when no charge is applied to the gatecontacts 12 (G). In its on-state, the gate contacts 12 (G) above theP-doped control regions 14 are under forward bias, and do not depletethe N-doped drift region 16. In this state, current can flow between thesource contact 18 (S) and the drain contact 20 (D), across the substrate22, drift layer 24, and drift region 16. To block this current, anegative bias can be applied to the gate contacts 12 (G), causingdepletion of the drift region 16. Thus reducing or eliminating theon-state current and switching the vertical JFET 10 to its off-state.Conventional vertical metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors(MOSFETs) are similar to the vertical JFET 10 of FIG. 1; however, thevertical MOSFETs are normally in an off-state.

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a III-V semiconductor material with a widebandgap, very high breakdown voltages, and high electron mobility,making it an ideal candidate for use in high-power devices such as thevertical JFET 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. However, current fabricationtechniques used for vertical GaN devices requiring several regrowthsteps are often inefficient or can result in PN junctions having highdefect densities at interfaces between P-doped regions and N-dopedregions due to the regrowth. Since dislocations typically providecurrent leakage paths for vertical transistors, bulk GaN substrates witha low number of dislocation densities are conventionally used forfabricating vertical transistors. However, the regrowth of N-doped GaNregions on P-doped GaN surfaces can introduce chemical contaminants andother damage related with the dry etching process and the cleaningprocess. These chemical contaminants and process related damage canincrease impurity backgrounds and create point defects that produceleakage paths at the regrowth surfaces, resulting in devices that sufferfrom high current leakages and lower breakdown voltages. Therefore,there is a need for an efficient fabrication technique that reduces oreliminates interface defects at PN junctions in vertical transistors,and in particular, GaN-based transistors.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to continuous crystalline gallium nitride(GaN) PN structures with no internal regrowth interfaces. Relateddevices, methods, and systems are also disclosed. According to anexemplary device, a precursor cell for a transistor having a foundationstructure, a mask structure, and a GaN PN structure is disclosed. Themask structure is provided over the foundation structure so as to exposea first area of a top surface of the foundation structure. The GaN PNstructure resides over the first area and at least a portion of the maskstructure and has a continuous crystalline structure with no internalregrowth interfaces. The GaN PN structure comprises a drift region overthe first area doped with a first dopant of a first polarity and acontrol region doped with a second dopant of a second polarity laterallyadjacent the drift region, wherein the first polarity is opposite thesecond polarity. The GaN PN structure also comprises a PN junctionformed between the drift region and the control region. Since the driftregion and the control region form the PN junction having no internalregrowth interfaces, the GaN PN structure has a continuous crystallinestructure with reduced regrowth related defects at the interface of thedrift region and the control region. These characteristics help toreduce or eliminate device weaknesses, such as current leakages and lowbreakdown voltages, allowing for more reliable and efficient devices.Other material systems may benefit from the concepts disclosed herein.

According to an exemplary method, forming a precursor cell for atransistor having a foundation structure, a mask structure, and a GaN PNstructure is disclosed. The foundation structure doped with a dopant ofa first polarity is provided. The mask structure is formed over a topsurface of the foundation structure so as to expose a first area of thetop surface of the foundation structure. The GaN PN structure having acontinuous crystalline structure with no internal regrowth interfaces isformed in a continuous growth phase over the first area and at least aportion of the mask structure. Forming the GaN PN structure in thecontinuous growth phase includes regrowing a drift region of the GaN PNstructure doped with a dopant of the first polarity in a substantiallyvertical direction over the first area and then growing a control regiondoped with a dopant of a second polarity in a substantially lateraldirection such that the control region is laterally adjacent the driftregion. In aspects disclosed herein, the first polarity is opposite thesecond polarity. In other aspects disclosed herein, the PN junction isformed to have no internal regrowth interfaces between the drift regionand the control region.

Exemplary aspects disclosed herein also include a regrowth interfacebetween the foundation structure and the GaN PN structure. Exemplaryaspects wherein the foundation structure comprises a substrate dopedwith a dopant of the first polarity and the drift region and the maskstructure are directly on the substrate are also included. In someexemplary aspects, the substrate and the drift layer are made of GaN. Inother exemplary aspects, the GaN PN structure is grown usingmetal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or Hydride Vapor PhaseEpitaxy (HVPE). Additional exemplary aspects include regrowing the driftregion in a substantially vertical direction while simultaneously dopingthe drift region with a dopant of the first polarity. Some aspects alsoinclude using epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) to promote asubstantially lateral overgrowth of the GaN PN structure whilesimultaneously doping the control region with a dopant of the secondpolarity. Exemplary aspects disclosed herein also include a draincontact over a bottom surface of the substrate, where the bottom surfaceof the substrate is opposite the top surface of the substrate, a gatecontact over the control region, and a source contact over the driftregion. Aspects also include the foundation structure having asupplemental gate contact over a supplemental control region, whereinthe supplemental control region is doped with a dopant of the secondpolarity.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the presentdisclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments inassociation with the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of thisspecification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure and, togetherwith the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional vertical junctionfield-effect transistor (JFET), according to the related art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary vertical semiconductordevice in the form of a precursor cell for a transistor having a PNjunction with no internal regrowth interfaces, wherein the precursorcell can be further developed into a vertical JFET or vertical metaloxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET);

FIGS. 3A-3F illustrate an exemplary process for fabricating theprecursor cell shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary vertical JFET having PNjunctions with no internal regrowth interfaces and including a precursorcell and drain, source, and gate contacts;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary vertical JFET having PNjunctions with no internal regrowth interfaces and including a precursorcell, drain, source, and gate contacts, and supplemental control regionsfor providing enhanced device control;

FIGS. 6A-6I illustrate an exemplary process for fabricating the verticalJFET shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary vertical JFET havingnon-vertical PN junctions with no internal regrowth interfaces andincluding a precursor cell, drain, source, and gate contacts, and a PNstructure grown directly on a substrate;

FIGS. 8A-8F illustrate an exemplary process for fabricating the verticalJFET shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary vertical MOSFET having PNjunctions with no internal regrowth interfaces and including a precursorcell, source regions, and drain, source, and gate contacts; and

FIGS. 10A-10B illustrate an exemplary process for developing theprecursor cell shown in FIG. 2 into the vertical MOSFET deviceillustrated in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information toenable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments andillustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading thefollowing description in light of the accompanying drawing figures,those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosureand will recognize applications of these concepts not particularlyaddressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts andapplications fall within the scope of the disclosure and theaccompanying claims.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. maybe used herein to describe various elements, these elements should notbe limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish oneelement from another. For example, a first element could be termed asecond element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a firstelement, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Asused herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of oneor more of the associated listed items.

It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, orsubstrate is referred to as being “on” or extending “onto” anotherelement, it can be directly on or extend directly onto the other elementor intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when anelement is referred to as being “directly on” or extending “directlyonto” another element, there are no intervening elements present.Likewise, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer,region, or substrate is referred to as being “over” or extending “over”another element, it can be directly over or extend directly over theother element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast,when an element is referred to as being “directly over” or extending“directly over” another element, there are no intervening elementspresent. It will also be understood that when an element is referred toas being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directlyconnected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may bepresent. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directlyconnected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are nointervening elements present.

Relative terms such as “below” or “above” or “upper” or “lower” or“horizontal” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe a relationshipof one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region asillustrated in the Figures. It will be understood that these terms andthose discussed above are intended to encompass different orientationsof the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure.As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,”“comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including” when used herein specifythe presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It willbe further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted ashaving a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context ofthis specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted inan idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

The present disclosure relates to continuous crystalline gallium nitride(GaN) PN structures with no internal regrowth interfaces. Relateddevices, methods, and systems are also disclosed. According to anexemplary device, a precursor cell for a transistor having a foundationstructure, a mask structure, and a GaN PN structure is disclosed. Themask structure is provided over the foundation structure so as to exposea first area of a top surface of the foundation structure. The GaN PNstructure resides over the first area and at least a portion of the maskstructure and has a continuous crystalline structure with no internalregrowth interfaces. The GaN PN structure comprises a drift region overthe first area doped with a first dopant of a first polarity and acontrol region doped with a second dopant of a second polarity laterallyadjacent the drift region, wherein the first polarity is opposite thesecond polarity. The GaN PN structure also comprises a PN junctionformed between the drift region and the control region. Since the driftregion and the control region form the PN junction having no internalregrowth interfaces, the GaN PN structure has a continuous crystallinestructure with reduced regrowth related defects at the interface of thedrift region and the control region. These characteristics help toreduce or eliminate device weaknesses such as current leakages and lowbreakdown voltages, allowing for more reliable and efficient devices.Other material systems may benefit from the concepts disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary verticalsemiconductor device in the form of a precursor cell 30 for atransistor. The precursor cell 30 has a foundation structure 32including a heavily (N+) doped substrate 34 below a more lightly (N−)doped drift layer 36. Over the drift layer 36 is a mask layer 38, whichexposes a first area 40 of a top surface of the foundation structure 32between two portions of a mask structure 42. A horizontal regrowthinterface 44 exists between the first area 40 of the top surface of thefoundation structure 32 and a lightly (N−) doped GaN drift region 46 atthe first area 40. The drift region 46 is positioned over the first area40 and at least a portion of the mask structure 42 and is laterallyadjacent to two portions of a P-doped GaN control region 48. The driftregion 46 and the control region 48 form a GaN PN structure 50.

Within the GaN PN structure 50 are two PN junctions 52, each formed atan interface between the drift region 46 and one portion of the controlregion 48. Each PN junction 52 has no internal regrowth interface. As aresult, there are few crystallographic defects at each interfacecompared to GaN PN structures fabricated by conventional regrowthmethods. By reducing or eliminating defect densities at each PN junction52, the GaN PN structure 50 is able to provide a continuous crystallinestructure. Providing the GaN PN structure 50 with the continuouscrystalline structure allows for more control over current across thedevice. In this regard, it is possible to provide devices with reducedcurrent leakage and higher breakdown voltages compared to conventionaldevices using GaN PN structures, which often have defective PN junctioninterfaces. In this manner, the precursor cell 30 shown in FIG. 2 allowsfor devices using GaN PN structures to be both more reliable andefficient.

FIGS. 3A-3F illustrate a process for fabricating the precursor cell 30of FIG. 2. With regard to FIGS. 3A-3D, the foundation structure 32 isinitially formed by providing the substrate 34. Next, the drift layer 36is formed over the substrate 34, and the mask layer 38 is formed overthe drift layer 36, as shown in FIGS. 3B-3C. The mask layer 38 is thenetched to have an opening that exposes the first area 40 of the topsurface of the foundation structure 32 between two portions of theresultant mask structure 42, as shown in FIG. 3D.

With reference to FIGS. 3E-3F, the first area 40 is then used as thehorizontal regrowth interface 44 upon which the drift region 46 and thelaterally adjacent control region 48 are grown during a continuousgrowth phase. In FIGS. 3E-3F, the dashed lines indicate the PN junction52 formed between the drift region 46 and the control region 48. Oncethe control region 48 is regrown, a portion of the control region 48over the drift region 46 may be removed to form the precursor cell 30 ofFIG. 2. The drift region 46 may be formed using methods such asmetal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or Hydride Vapor PhaseEpitaxy (HVPE). In contrast to other deposition processes, such asmolecular beam epitaxy (MBE), MOCVD and/or HVPE allows for the growth ofsingle crystalline films having fewer structural defects and a higherlateral growth rate. With regard to FIGS. 3A-3F, the control region 48grows from the drift region 46 as a second part of a single, continuousgrowth phase. The continuous growth of the control region 48 is enabledby using epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO). Conventional ELO is atechnique which can induce lateral growth of certain materials, such asGaN, and bend and annihilate dislocations. Since the drift region 46 andthe control region 48 make up the component parts of the GaN PNstructure 50, combining aspects of MOCVD and ELO allow for the GaN PNstructure 50 to have the continuous crystalline structure with reduceddefect densities. These features help reduce or eliminate deviceweaknesses, such as current leakages and low breakdown voltages,allowing for the creation of devices that are more reliable andefficient.

One area particularly vulnerable to the defect densities inconventionally fabricated GaN PN structures such as the GaN PN structure50 is the PN junction 52. This weakness occurs because some conventionalfabrication techniques require ex situ etching and cleaning in betweengrowing the drift region 46 and growing the control region 48. Suchetching and cleaning can expose the PN junction 52 to chemicalcontaminants, which in turn can increase impurity backgrounds and/or iondamages and create point defects at the PN junction 52, thus increasingthe total defect densities at the PN junction 52. In the presentdisclosure these issues are avoided by using MOCVD (or HVPE) and ELOmethods that decouple the regrowth interface from the PN junctioninterface to form the PN junction 52, and therefore do not subject thePN junction 52 to ex situ processes. By not subjecting the PN junction52 to such ex situ processes, the high density of defects present indevices fabricated using conventional methods can be reduced oreliminated, thus reducing the total defect density at the PN junction52. In this manner, continuous crystalline GaN PN structures having nointernal regrowth interfaces can be formed, allowing for more reliableand efficient transistor-based devices.

The substrate 34 may be made of GaN, SiC, and/or Si, and may have athickness ranging from 100 micrometers (μm) to 1 millimeter (mm). Insome embodiments, the drift layer 36 may be formed from GaN, InGaN,and/or AlGaN, and may have a thickness ranging from 1 μm to 100 μm. Themask layer 38 may be formed from SiOx, SiNx, and/or AlOx, and may have athickness ranging from 10 nanometers (nm) to 500 nm. Chemistries usedfor etching the mask layer 38 may include SF6, CF4, and/or Ar. Theopening exposing the first area 40 of the top surface of the foundationstructure 32 between the two portions of the resultant mask structure 42may have a width that ranges from 100 nm to 10 μm.

In some embodiments disclosed herein, the substrate 34 may be doped witha dopant such as Si and/or Ge, as examples, and may have dopingconcentrations that range from 1×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ to 1×10²⁰ cm⁻³, as examples.The drift layer 36 may be doped with a first dopant of the firstpolarity, such as Si and/or Ge, as examples, and may have dopingconcentrations that range from 1×10¹⁴ cm⁻³ to 1×10¹⁷ cm⁻³, as examples.The drift region 46 may be doped with Si and/or Ge, as examples, and mayhave doping concentrations that range from 1×10¹⁴ cm⁻³ to 1×10¹⁷ cm⁻³,as examples. The control region 48 may be doped with Mg, as an example,and may have doping concentrations that range from 1×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ to 1×10²⁰cm⁻³, as examples. Dopants may be introduced to the control region 48during ELO process phases using methods such as MOCVD, as an example.Throughout this disclosure, a first dopant having a first polarity caninclude any charged particle having a net positive or a net negativecharge used for doping a material. Similarly, throughout thisdisclosure, a second dopant having a second polarity can include anycharged particle having a net positive or a net negative charge used fordoping a material. In some embodiments, the drift region 46 may havethicknesses ranging from 100 nm to 100 μm, as examples. In someembodiments, the control region 48 may have thicknesses ranging from 100nm to 10 μm, as examples. In some embodiments disclosed herein, the GaNPN structure 50 may have a defect density less than 1×10⁷ cm⁻², as anexample. In some embodiments, the GaN PN structure 50 may have impuritybackgrounds less than 1×10¹⁷ cm⁻³, as an example.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary vertical junction field-effecttransistor (JFET) 54 formed from the precursor cell 30 illustrated inFIG. 2 having the GaN PN structure 50 with no internal regrowthinterfaces. The vertical JFET 54 may be fabricated by attaching a draincontact 56 (D), two gate contacts 58 (G), and a source contact 60 (S) toa bottom surface of the substrate 34, top surfaces of the control region48, and a top surface of the drift region 46 of the precursor cell 30,respectively. Using the GaN PN structure 50 having no internal regrowthinterfaces allows the vertical JFET 54 to reduce current leakages andincrease voltage breakdown levels, resulting in a more reliable andefficient device with a better on/off ratio. Since the vertical JFET 54is fabricated from the precursor cell 30 illustrated in FIG. 2,discussed above, the benefits and features disclosed above with regardto the precursor cell 30 also apply to the vertical JFET 54.

In some embodiments, the vertical JFET 54 of FIG. 4 may be able towithstand reverse bias voltages ranging greater than 100 V. The draincontact 56 (D) can be formed using processes such as thermal evaporationand/or sputtering.

FIG. 5 illustrates another exemplary vertical JFET 62 formed from theprecursor cell 30 illustrated in FIG. 2 having the GaN PN structure 50with no internal regrowth interfaces. The vertical JFET 62 of FIG. 5differs from the vertical JFET 54 of FIG. 4 in that the vertical JFET 62of FIG. 5 has a supplemental control layer 64 over the drift layer 36and below the mask structure 42. A P-doped supplemental control region66 is formed from the supplemental control layer 64 and allows forenhanced device control, as it provides a second region at which thecurrent channel can be closed. To close the current channel, a positivecharge can be applied to a supplemental gate contact 68.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6I, the vertical JFET 62 of FIG. 5 may befabricated in a process similar to the process illustrated in FIGS.3A-3F for fabricating the precursor cell 30 of FIG. 2. However, incontrast to the process illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3F, FIGS. 6A-6Iintroduce the supplemental control layer 64 from which the supplementalcontrol region 66 is formed. With regard to FIGS. 6A-6D, the foundationstructure 32 is initially formed by providing the substrate 34. Next,the drift layer 36 is formed over the substrate 34, and the supplementalcontrol layer 64 is formed over the drift layer 36, as shown in FIGS.6B-6C. The mask layer 38 is then formed over the supplemental controllayer 64, as illustrated in FIG. 6D. A portion of the mask layer 38 anda portion of the supplemental control layer 64 are then removed toexpose the first area 40 of the top surface of the foundation structure32, as illustrated in FIGS. 6E-6F. Further, a portion of the mask layer38 is removed to expose a top surface of the supplemental control region66. As discussed below, the supplemental gate contact 68 (G) can beformed on this exposed top surface of the supplemental control region66. In this manner, the supplemental control region 66 and the maskstructure 42 are formed from the supplemental control layer 64 and themask layer 38, respectively.

With reference to FIGS. 6G-6H, the first area 40 is then used as thehorizontal regrowth interface 44 upon which the drift region 46 and thelaterally adjacent control region 48 are grown during the continuousgrowth phase. Once the control region 48 is grown, a portion of thecontrol region 48 may be removed to expose a top surface of the driftregion 46, as illustrated in FIG. 6I. The exemplary vertical JFET 62 ofFIG. 5 may be fabricated therefrom by attaching the drain contact 56(D), the two gate contacts 58 (G), the supplemental gate contact 68 (G),and the source contact 60 (S) to the bottom surface of the substrate 34,the top surfaces of the control region 48, the exposed top surface ofthe supplemental control region 66, and the top surface of the driftregion 46, respectively.

The materials and processes associated with fabricating the verticalJFET 54 illustrated in FIG. 4 may similarly be applied to fabricatingthe vertical JFET 62 illustrated in FIG. 5. Further, the supplementalcontrol layer 64 may comprise materials such as p-GaN, p-AlGaN, p-InGaN,and may be formed using processes such as MOCVD and/or HVPE. Portions ofthe supplemental control layer 64 may be removed to form thesupplemental control region 66 by processes such as reactive ionetching, for example. Chemistries used for etching the supplementalcontrol layer 64 may include Cl2, BCl3, and/or Ar. The supplementalcontrol region 66 of some embodiments may include GaN, AlGaN, and may bedoped with a dopant such as Mg. In some embodiments, the supplementalcontrol region 66 may have a vertical thickness ranging from 50 nm to500 nm.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary vertical JFET 70 formed from analternative precursor cell 30′ having the GaN PN structure 50 with nointernal regrowth interfaces. The alternative precursor cell 30′ used inthe vertical JFET 70 differs from the precursor cell 30 used in thevertical JFET 54 illustrated in FIG. 4 and the vertical JFET 62illustrated in FIG. 5 in several regards. The alternative precursor cell30′ used in the vertical JFET 70 has the PN junctions 52 that arenon-vertical (i.e., not perpendicular to the plane of the top surface ofthe foundation structure 32). Further, the GaN PN structure 50 of thealternative precursor cell 30′ is grown directly on the substrate 34(i.e., the foundation structure 32 does not include the drift layer 36).In other regards, the alternative precursor cell 30′ used to form thevertical JFET 70 is otherwise similar to the precursor cell 30illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 8A-8F illustrate a process for fabricating the alternativeprecursor cell 30′ used in the vertical JFET 70 of FIG. 7. As shown inFIG. 8A, the substrate 34 is provided as the foundation structure 32.The mask layer 38 is then formed over the foundation structure 32. Aportion of the mask layer 38 is then removed to expose the first area 40of the top surface of the foundation structure 32 between the resultantmask structure 42. In contrast to the process for fabricating theprecursor cell 30 illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3F, the process forfabricating the alternative precursor cell 30′ used to form the verticalJFET 70 includes forming the mask layer 38 directly on the substrate 34.As shown in FIG. 8D, the drift region 46 is then formed over the firstarea 40 and directly on the substrate 34. Similar to the mask layer 38,the drift region 46 illustrated in FIG. 7 differs from the drift region46 illustrated in FIG. 2 by being formed directly on the substrate 34,rather than on the drift layer 36 (which is not present in theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8A-8F).

Further, as noted above, the alternative precursor cell 30′ illustratedin FIG. 7 also differs from the precursor cell 30 illustrated in FIG. 2in that the alternative precursor cell 30′ has the non-vertical PNjunctions 52. The non-vertical PN junctions 52 can be formed bycontrolling the growth of the drift region 46. For example, asillustrated in FIGS. 8D-8F, the non-vertical PN junctions 52 can beformed by regulating growth conditions of the drift region 46 in a MOCVDreactor and a choice of lateral growth facets/directions. This featureof the non-vertical PN junctions 52 can be included in at least theembodiments disclosed throughout the present disclosure. Forming thenon-vertical PN junctions 52 does not affect device performance as thedrift region 46 is newly regrown, and the GaN PN structure 50 isfabricated using the MOCVD and ELO techniques that provide the GaN PNstructure 50 having no internal regrowth interfaces at the PN junctions52.

Once the drift region 46 is formed, the control region 48 is formed overthe drift region 46, and a portion of the control region 48 is removedto expose a top surface of the drift region 46, as illustrated in FIG.8F. In this regard, the alternative precursor cell 30′ is illustrated inFIG. 8F. The exemplary vertical JFET 70 may be fabricated by attachingthe drain contact 56 (D), the two gate contacts 58 (G), and the sourcecontact 60 (S) to the bottom surface of the substrate 34, the topsurfaces of the control region 48, and the top surface of the driftregion 46, respectively. In this manner, the vertical JFET 70 can beformed from the alternative precursor cell 30′ having the GaN PNstructure 50 with no internal regrowth interfaces.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary vertical MOSFET 72 formed from theprecursor cell 30 illustrated in FIG. 2 having the PN junctions 52 withno internal regrowth interfaces. The vertical MOSFET 72 differs from thevertical JFET 54 of FIG. 4, the vertical JFET 62 of FIG. 5, and thevertical JFET 70 of FIG. 7 in that applying a positive bias to the gatecontact 58 (G) of the vertical MOSFET 72 turns the vertical MOSFET 72 toits on-state.

As illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10B, fabricating the vertical MOSFET 72 ofFIG. 9 involves providing the precursor cell 30 illustrated in FIG. 2and forming two N-doped source regions 74 in portions of the controlregion 48. FIG. 10B illustrates forming a dielectric layer 76 over aportion of the drift region 46. The vertical MOSFET 72 may be fabricatedtherefrom by attaching the drain contact 56 (D), one of the gatecontacts 58 (G), and two source contacts 60 (S) to the bottom surface ofthe substrate 34, a top surface of the dielectric layer 76, and aportion of each of the source regions 74, respectively.

Some embodiments of the vertical MOSFET 72 illustrated in FIG. 9 includeforming the source regions 74 using methods such as ion implantation andselective etching and epitaxial regrowth. In some embodiments disclosedherein, the source regions 74 may be doped with a dopant such as Siand/or Ge. In at least one of the above embodiments, doping processesmay include MOCVD and/or MBE. Furthermore, in at least one embodiment,dopant levels may be greater than 2×10¹⁸ cm⁻³.

Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modificationsto the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. All suchimprovements and modifications are considered within the scope of theconcepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.

1. A precursor cell for a transistor comprising: a foundation structure;a mask structure over the foundation structure having an opening thatexposes a first area of a top surface of the foundation structure; and agallium nitride (GaN) PN structure disposed over the first area and atleast a portion of the mask structure, the GaN PN structure having acontinuous crystalline structure with no internal regrowth interfacesand comprising: a drift region doped with a first dopant of a firstpolarity over the first area; and a control region doped with a seconddopant of a second polarity laterally adjacent the drift region, whereinthe first polarity is opposite the second polarity and a PN junction isformed between the drift region and the control region.
 2. The precursorcell of claim 1, further comprising a regrowth interface between thefoundation structure and the GaN PN structure.
 3. The precursor cell forthe transistor of claim 1, wherein: the foundation structure comprises asubstrate doped with a dopant of the first polarity; and the driftregion and the mask structure are directly on the substrate.
 4. Theprecursor cell of claim 3, further comprising a regrowth interfacebetween the foundation structure and the GaN PN structure.
 5. Theprecursor cell claim 4, further comprising: a drain contact over abottom surface of the substrate, where the bottom surface of thesubstrate is opposite a top surface of the substrate; a gate contactover the control region; and a source contact over the drift region. 6.The precursor cell of claim 1, wherein the foundation structurecomprises a substrate doped with a dopant of the first polarity and adrift layer doped with the dopant of the first polarity over thesubstrate.
 7. The precursor cell claim 6 wherein the substrate and thedrift layer comprise GaN.
 8. The precursor cell of claim 7, furthercomprising a regrowth interface between the foundation structure and theGaN PN structure.
 9. The precursor cell of claim 7, further comprising:a drain contact over a bottom surface of the substrate, where the bottomsurface of the substrate is opposite a top surface of the substrate; agate contact over the control region; and a source contact over thedrift region.
 10. The precursor cell of claim 7, further comprising: thefoundation structure further comprising a supplemental control regiondoped with a dopant of the second polarity over the drift layer; a draincontact over a bottom surface of the substrate, where the bottom surfaceof the substrate is opposite a top surface of the substrate; a gatecontact over the control region; a supplemental gate contact over thesupplemental control region; and a source contact over the drift region.11. The precursor cell of claim 7, further comprising: a source regiondoped with the dopant of the first polarity over at least a portion ofthe control region; a dielectric layer over at least a portion of thedrift region; a drain contact over a bottom surface of the substrate,where the bottom surface of the substrate is opposite a top surface ofthe substrate; a gate contact over the dielectric layer; and a sourcecontact over the source region.
 12. The precursor cell of claim 11,further comprising a regrowth interface between the foundation structureand the GaN PN structure.
 13. A method comprising: providing afoundation structure doped with a dopant of a first polarity; forming amask structure over a top surface of the foundation structure, whereinthe mask structure has an opening that exposes a first area of the topsurface of the foundation structure; and forming a gallium nitride (GaN)PN structure having a continuous crystalline structure with no internalregrowth interfaces over the first area and at least a portion of themask structure in a continuous growth phase by regrowing a drift regionof the GaN PN structure doped with the dopant of the first polarity in asubstantially vertical direction over the first area and then growing acontrol region doped with a dopant of a second polarity in asubstantially lateral direction such that the control region islaterally adjacent the drift region, wherein the first polarity isopposite the second polarity and a PN junction having no internalregrowth interfaces is formed between the drift region and the controlregion.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein a regrowth interface isprovided between the foundation structure and the GaN PN structure. 15.The method of claim 13, further comprising forming the mask structureand the drift region directly on the foundation structure, wherein thefoundation structure comprises a substrate doped with the dopant of thefirst polarity.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein a regrowth interfaceis provided between the foundation structure and the GaN PN structure.17. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the foundation structurecomprises providing a substrate doped with the dopant of the firstpolarity and forming a drift layer doped with the dopant of the firstpolarity over the substrate.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein aregrowth interface is provided between the foundation structure and theGaN PN structure.
 19. The method of claim 13, further comprising usingepitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) to promote a substantially lateralovergrowth of the GaN PN structure comprising simultaneously doping thecontrol region with the dopant of the second polarity.
 20. The method ofclaim 13, wherein regrowing the drift region in the substantiallyvertical direction comprises: simultaneously doping the drift regionwith the dopant of the first polarity; and using epitaxial lateralovergrowth (ELO) to promote a substantially lateral overgrowth of theGaN PN structure comprising simultaneously doping the control regionwith the dopant of the second polarity.
 21. The method of claim 13,wherein the GaN PN structure is grown using metal-organic chemical vapordeposition (MOCVD) or Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE).